Alfa Romeo has unveiled the refreshed Tonale range, the Italian company’s premium C-SUV fighter against rivals such as the BMW X1, Volvo XC40, and Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class.
The model entered the SA market late in 2022 before being discontinued due to slow demand, but the local subsidiary says it’s investigating the viability of reintroducing the updated model.
Overseas, the revamped Tonale launches with four trims comprising the entry model, mid-tier Sprint and Ti and range-topping Veloce. A Sport Speciale launch edition with exclusive features is also available.
The changes begin on the outside, where the front features the new three-dimensional concave badge, while the signature Trilobe front design is reinterpreted for a sportier look. Reduced front overhangs and wider front and rear wheel tracks meet new and lighter 19" Stile or the 20" Fori wheels, dependent on specification. The new styling touches aim to align the three-year-old model with its fresher and smaller Alfa Romeo Junior model, which goes on sale in SA this month.
The new Tonale passenger compartment has evolved with premium materials and details, new colour combinations and finishes, including new “cannelloni” ribbed weave seats upholstered in red leather with matching stitching or in two-tone black/white Alcantara and a dashboard upholstered in Alcantara with contrasting stitching.
Heated and ventilated seats with eight-way adjustability form part of the amenities, together with a heated steering wheel, a 12.3" digital instrument panel and 10.25" infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a charging pad. A new rotary gear selector is also presented, but drivers can change gears using billet aluminium steering wheel paddles. An optional contrasting black roof and a sunroof are available.
Alfa Romeo prioritises sporty driving sensations too, through optimum weight distribution and dual-stage valve (DSV) electronic suspension and frequency-selective damping (FSD) shock absorbers and Brembo brakes for the top models. The undercarriage bits are blended with updated Euro 6 engines.
The engine line-up with 48V hybrid kicks off with the 1.5l four-cylinder turbo that outputs 129kW for the entry models. The diesel model produces 96kW and is available with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The entry- and mid-tier petrols use a seven-speed variant, but the recipe in the plug-in variants combines an electrified all-wheel drive system and six-speed automatic transmissions, with two power levels: a 140kW version and a 198kW model.
A 360° camera with “drone view”, semi-automatic parking, and level two driving assistance functions is available to the MY26 Tonale model.
You can include adaptive cruise control with lane centring, traffic jam assist, blind spot detection, rear cross path detection, driver attention monitoring, traffic sign recognition, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection.
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